The New Supra Is Twice As Stiff As The GT86, Matches The LFA

Toyota’s new Supra uses a body as rigid as that of the awesome Lexus LFA, and yet doesn’t use a scrap of carbonfibre to make it happen.

This incredible feat of chassis engineering was the most difficult thing to achieve in the whole programme, according to the car’s chief engineer, Tetsuya Tada. In an interview with Top Gear he explained that the effort was necessary to keep the car’s price point affordable. He said:

“It has been achieved without using carbon fibre so we could keep the price point at an affordable level. That was the most difficult thing to achieve.”

It was already known that the Supra uses a shorter wheelbase than the GT86, which was also created by Tada-san and his team. Though shorter, it’s also wider, and will feel pretty different close to the limit; theoretically less friendly and forgiving. Interestingly, this was always the intention from the outset, says the Toyota man. But it’s not all intriguing news. He also said:

“I think the new Supra will be the last present from Toyota to those who enjoy hearing the pleasing sound of a pure petrol engine at high revs.”